Fullbuster's Starry Delight
by Precinct No. 38
Summary: When Lucy Heartfilia's novel is rejected by one of the most successful publishing companies in Magnolia, she is dragged to the town's infamous bar, Fairy Tail, by little Wendy Marvell for a pick-me-up. She expected the merlot. She didn't expect a chance encounter with the king of Ice-Make Corporation nor did she expect his interest in her. Now if only Sting would leave her alone...
1. Starry Delight

**Hello! This will be my second attempt at Fairy Tail fanfiction. AU, of course, because I can't keep up with all of Mashima's plot twists.**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Fairy Tail or its characters.**

* * *

"I'm sorry, Miss Heartfilia, but your novel is denied."

21-year-old Lucy Heartfilia stiffened in shock, her hands gripping the edge of her chair. "D-denied?"

The editor in front of her showed no sign of hearing the break in her voice. "The story's good, but it needs some work. We only accept drafts from beginners who have an exceptional plot to deliver to their intended audience. This one is just so-and-so. I apologize for the inconvenience you had in coming today."

Lucy wanted to scream.

Never once had the man even looked at her throughout the entire meeting. He had skimmed her manuscript in a mere thirty minutes, a manuscript that was well over two hundred pages, before turning to his computer, his fingers clacking away for another ten. He then had the gall to push her manuscript away from his with the back of his pen with his eyes still on the screen, delivering the final blow as he did. No commentary, no critical remark, nothing. It was all over with a flat out rejection.

She hastily gathered up her precious draft, trying to ignore the tightening in her chest. "T-thank you for your time."

The editor nodded absentmindedly. "Please see to your way out."

Lucy couldn't say another word. She walked out of the stuffy office as fast as she could, failing to suppress the tears that were welling up in her eyes.

Upon exiting the publishing company, Lucy stood under the beating sun of a Magnolia summer, her throat suddenly dry and her body exhausted. Her mind had yet to register the past half hour of her life, had yet to fully comprehend the emotions rumbling inside her.

Her feet walked on their accord, coming to a stop at the nearest grocery store. Lucy immediately crossed the threshold, taking refuge in the air-conditioned building. In but a few seconds, her eyes roved slowly over a plethora of ice cream flavors, from pint-size all the way to gallon buckets.

Fullbuster's Starry Delight.

The popular flavor by the just as famous ice cream producer called out to her. No, it howled at her. It was saying something and Lucy wanted to hear it.

Lucy pulled the gallon bucket out of the freezer and instantly knew the message it was trying to convey.

 _I'm so fucking done._

The ice cream wasn't cold. It was be a bit of an exaggeration to say that it had warmed completely, but the ice cream was definitely not cold. It had been betrayed by the very cushion it had placed its faith in.

The freezer. The cold, heartless, devastatingly brutal freezer.

"How nice," Lucy murmured. "You're the only one in the faulty freezer. It must be fate."

And it truly was fate.

* * *

" _So-and-so, he says, huh? Needs more work? Not exceptional enough?"_

* * *

Everyone enjoyed a good bit of Starry Delight. Chocolate ice cream, as dark as the night sky, with swirls of fudge, meteor-like clusters of cookie dough, and small pieces of crunchy caramel bits that lit up against the chocolate like stars.

It was nice, different, and comforting after a long day at work.

Today, it would just be different. It would be neither nice nor comforting after said long day of work.

After all, we were still in the middle of that day.

Now, Lucy wasn't one to waste food. She always made sure to pick up every last bite, even if it killed her stomach in the end. However, due to current circumstances, Lucy excused herself. Just this once.

With a determination she had never known before, Lucy stomped straight into the building, ignoring the cries of the secretary who tried to stop her, and made her way back to the editor's office. Instead of walking in, she stopped at the large glass window that looked into the office.

Lucy banged an angry fist against the glass several times, causing the occupying editor to yelp and jump in his chair. He gaped at Lucy through the window as if he'd never seen her before, which actually might have been true in this case.

And without further ado, Lucy backed herself up some spaces and flung handful after handful of Starry Delight ice cream at the window, aiming straight at the head of the editor.

The smell of chocolate and caramel filled the air. Flecks of fly away ice cream were thrown at the people from the sidelines, who simply stared with their mouths dropped open. Lucy's hands were brown and sticky from the melting ice cream, but she did not let up. If anything, her outrage grew ever more so.

The editor's eyes were fixed on Lucy in horrified fear. He would remember her lashing for a long time to come.

"SO-AND-SO, YOU SAY, HUH? NO MONKEY-SUIT-WEARING ASSHOLE IS GOING TO TELL ME THAT MY STORY IS ONLY SO-AND-SO, YOU GOT THAT?!" Lucy yelled through the glass, her face red with indignation and vexation. "I WORKED TOO LONG AND TOO HARD FOR SOME IDIOT TO JUST TELL ME THAT ALL MY EFFORTS WERE FOR NAUGHT! WELL, YOU KNOW WHAT? YOU'RE GOING TO REGRET THIS DECISION. MARK MY FUCKING WORDS!"

She flung the almost-empty gallon bucket of Starry Delight and wiped her hands with a document she had found on a clerk's desk.

With a victorious nod of her head, Lucy strolled out of the building, not even bothering to glance at the faces of the other editors and administrators.

No one in the publishing company would ever forget the beautiful blonde who sauntered out of the building smelling like an ice cream parlor.

* * *

It was not until she reached her apartment that Lucy realized the possible consequences of her actions.

She sighed as she reached for her keys. "I really hope they don't sue me."

Honestly, how hard was it to clean up some ice cream? But it had been her first time meeting with an editor. She hoped the company didn't spread rumors of an insane dairy-product-throwing girl among the other publishers.

Her rage had dwindled into depression and Lucy felt the weight of it in her chest, clenching up her lungs in a way that made it difficult to breathe.

With another choked sigh, she unlocked the front door only to find herself assaulted by a flash of dark blue.

"Lucy-san! How was it? How was the meeting? They loved your novel, didn't they?"

Lucy chuckled sheepishly for the sake of her younger sister. "Sorry, Wendy, but no. They didn't want my novel."

Excitement was quickly drained from the girl's face and replaced with a look of disbelief. Wendy Marvell's eyes widened when the full force of Lucy's words hit her. "They didn't… want it?" It was as if she were speaking words that could never be.

Lucy pressed her lips together to keep from letting out a sob.

Wendy instantly wrapped her arms around Lucy's waist and buried her face into the fabric of Lucy's shirt. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry, nee-san."

Lucy chuckled hoarsely. "Whatever for, Wendy?" she asked, brushing her fingers through Wendy's long blue hair. "You did nothing wrong."

The girl shook her head. "I'm sorry, nee-san. I'm sorry."

"Me too, Wendy. Me too."

They held each other like that for a few minutes. Lucy's tears finally ran down her cheeks, thankfully silent. Wendy's own eyes were damp, judging from the cold spot Lucy felt on her blouse. It wasn't before long that Wendy lifted her head suddenly. "I have an idea."

Lucy blinked. "An idea?"

Wendy nodded her head up and down vehemently. "Yes, an idea."

"Elaborate."

"Merlot."

* * *

 **(._.) - Thank you for reading. First impressions? Reviews?**


	2. Merlot

**Everyone is so kind! Thank you for the response the first chapter received. I definitely wasn't expecting it, haha.**

* * *

It was six in the evening, they had been walking for (Lucy checked her watch) over thirty-seven minutes now, and Wendy still refused to tell her where she was taking her.

They had followed the canal system near their house, walking on the ledge of the water and assuring the nearby fisherman that they would do their best not to fall in. From Strawberry Street, they made a turn or two until they hit Main Street. They crossed the bridge over the canal and made their way toward the edge of the city. Lucy idly wondered what was down there. After all, she had yet to explore that side of town.

It was when they arrived at their destination, signaled by a silent Wendy's pointed finger, that Lucy gaped in utter shock. Of all the things she expected, this was something her thoughts hadn't come close to.

 _Fairy Tail._

Before we continue, let us share the significance of the establishment.

Fairy Tail was a bar, simply put. It was a place to kick your feet up, take a sip or two of scotch, and just relax. Everyone, rumor had it, was kind, helpful, the type of people you would want to call friends. Nakama, Lucy told herself. It was a word Wendy had spoken of many times. There was no truer friendship than the one you shared with your loved ones, blood-related or not. Everyone was family.

It was a dream to someone like Lucy, to someone who had grown up the way she did.

What made Fairy Tail unique was its clientele. You see, it was an exclusive bar which only served to its members. Members with a streak of destruction in their bones. In almost every issue of Magnolia Times, there was an article about Fairy Tail and their members' acts of mischief and trouble-making. Small skirmishes that went out of hand occurred in almost every cranny of Magnolia, according to Wendy, who simply shook her head with defeat. Wendy had lived here a lot longer than Lucy and was probably used to the chaos the group caused.

Never did it occur to Lucy that Wendy herself might be a member of Fairy Tail. After all, it was hardly a subject that came up. Fairy Tail was nothing but a source of entertainment or exasperation, depending on the type of person you were.

For that reason, many derided Fairy Tail for its antics, often going up to the mayor in an attempt to ask them to quiet down and act like normal human beings, while others yearned to join the infamous club, hoping to get in on the excitement and thrill of a life full of freedom and no regrets.

To Lucy, it didn't suit Wendy's character. The 19 year old was meek, shy, and polite to a fault. She didn't seem like the type to pick fights with anyone. Actually, Lucy mused, she seemed like the type to run away from them. Maybe she was wrong.

Wendy nudged her older sister with her elbow. "Nee-san, let's go."

And with that, Wendy dragged her to the front of the bar, pushed the door open, and let Lucy take in the sights and sounds of the mysterious and oh-so-wonderful Fairy Tail.

There was only one thought that came to mind.

 _The place was a fucking mess._

Shouts and screams filled the air. There was a fist fight between a pink-haired man and a black-haired pierced man in the middle of the bar with a crowd surrounding them, urging them and cheering for them with yelled laughter. A scarlet-haired woman suddenly moved her way into the circle and in an instant, everyone went silent.

Lucy watched on as Wendy regarded the scene with faint amusement.

"You despicable fiends! How dare you!" She grabbed the pink-haired by his collar and swung her fist into his jaw before grinning. "HOW DARE YOU START THE PARTY WITHOUT ME!"

The bar exploded with fervent cheering and praises to God for the existence of strawberry cake.

"It's the only way to get Erza in a good mood," Wendy explained.

Lucy nodded mechanically.

Chairs were flying around, tables were visibly cracked here and there, bar stools were held in rough hands above their heads, and everyone seemed intent on murdering everyone else. Trash laid upon the barren, wooden floor, and the bar itself was full of half-drunk glasses of wine and beer.

It was a drunken fight to surpass all drunken fights.

Lucy gaped for the second time that day.

"Ah, Wendy! What a surprise! I haven't seen you come in for quite a while now."

Lucy's eyes widened. It was Mirajane Strauss, the famous model that was always on the cover of Magnolia Weekly, the city's most read magazine. Not only was she absolutely gorgeous, but she was said to be the sweetheart of Magnolia. Lucy agreed.

Lucy gulped when Mirajane and turned to her. "And who might you be?"

Wendy beamed. "This is my nee-san, Lucy Heartfilia."

Mirajane immediately brightened, a loving smile on her face. "Lucy! I've heard so much about you. Come, would you like a drink?"

Wendy spoke up for her before she could utter a single syllable. "She'll take a glass of your best merlot, Mirajane.

"Of course! Please follow me."

And so she did, Wendy at her side, who giggled at her older sister's expression. It was one that she would later wished she had taken a picture of. It would be a nice memory to hold onto. For her, at least.

Lucy too wished she had brought her camera or at least her phone with which to take a video of her little sister.

She really was quite entertaining when she was half-drunk.

* * *

"Tell me again!" Wendy demanded. "What exactly did they say?"

Lucy sighed and repeated the statement for the third time. "They said it still needed some work and that they couldn't accept it."

That was all that was needed to send Wendy in full-on wrath mode. "Seriously, Lucy-san?! Are they demented or something? How can they not recognize a work so beautifully written? And the plot! It was absolutely fantastic! I fell in love when I read it. What the hell is wrong with those people?!"

And so, Wendy went on a spiel of analyzing the most critical and most emotional parts of Lucy's novel, noting every small detail from memory and raving excitedly about it, while she intermitted harsh insults toward the publisher. Lucy listened attentively, smiling at her number one supporter.

When she first came to Magnolia, Lucy had been immediately lost from her very first step off the train. She had left the Heartfilia Estate in a rush of adrenaline and had not thought out even a scrap of a plan. She asked the train conductor for directions to the nearest library in an effort to learn more about her new home and ended up finding a friend in little Wendy Marvell.

Wendy was in her freshman year of college at Fiore University, studying to become a nurse. To Lucy's surprise and relief, Wendy had a magical ability to fix almost any ailment one should acquire. Combined with her extreme need to help the people around her, she was practically perfect for the person she wanted to become.

The two connected over their love for reading and their situations. Wendy had been an orphan since birth, even though she swore she remembered her mother. A woman with beautiful blue hair, just a shade lighter than hers, and crystal silver eyes. Every other feature was blurred to the girl, but Wendy clung onto every detail she had. Lucy, on the other hand, was a run away, the cause of her father's verbal abuse and forceful indifference to her wants and needs. The two sympathized with one another and quickly became friends in the short time they spent together in the library.

Needless to say, Wendy ended up taking down the roommate-wanted ad she put up in the newspaper and Lucy was all moved in by a week or so. And so, they both lived happily ever after on little ol' Strawberry Street.

It had been a few months since then and the two were the best of friends, so close that they had become inseparable, just like sisters. They even went as far as to call each other as such. Lucy couldn't be happier. She had found someone she could call hers and she finally had a place she could call home.

"—u-san? Lucy-san!" Wendy crossed her arms with a small glare. "Are you paying attention?! This is crucial! Aquarius and Scorpio's love is the pivotal point to the war between the mages and the dark guild. If they're separated, the Stellar mage won't be able to summon them and—"

Lucy cut her off with a sad laugh. "I think I know my own story, Wendy."

Mirajane swooped down toward the two girls. "Care for a refill, ladies?"

"YES." Wendy slammed her glass down on the bar and kept her eyes fixated on the bottle of merlot the older woman held in her hands.

Mirajane chuckled. "Don't you think you've had enough, dear?"

Wendy shook her head. "No. I'm very very very upset. Nee-san has been through too much today and I'm determined to forget all about it by the morning. I don't want to see nee-san's sad face in my head ever again." Wendy nodded her head vehemently. "Let's do this, Lucy-san!"

Lucy grinned. Although she was usually her cute, polite little self, Wendy had a vivacious streak only she could muster at the right time. "Alright then. Mirajane, fill us up!"

Mirajane stared at the two before an indulgent smile graced her lips. "Why not? What's the worst that could happen?"

Refills were immediately made.

* * *

Mirajane blinked. "Oh, dear. I suppose this isn't quite good." She whistled innocently and left the girls to their own selves, forgetting to take the wine with her.

Lucy was bawling her eyes out, slamming a fist on the table over and over again, while Wendy screamed indescribedly about a novel.

"THIS ISN'T FAIR, NEE-SAN! WHAT RIGHT TO THOSE PEOPLE HAVE TO CALL YOUR STORY STUPID?" Wendy downed the merlot in one gulp.

Lucy looked up with a tear-stricken face. "NOT STUPID. UNWORTHY!"

"HOW DARE THEY MAKE MY NEE-SAN CRY! IMA GO UP TO THEM AND SHOW THEM A MOVE THAT WILL—"She hiccupped here. "—BLOW THEIR MINDS!"

Lucy looked up with hope shining in her eyes. "Dragon Slayer?"

Wendy held her glass high in the air before standing on top of the bar stool and taking a deep breath. "ROAR OF THE SKY DRAGON!" And she blew out every bit of air in her lungs in a great, big whoosh.

Unfortunately, her energy was spent in the Sky Dragon's (from Lucy's novel) signature move and her eyes started blinking sleepily. "Nee-san… I—" She lost consciousness and started toppling forward.

Lucy panicked. "WENDY!"

Lucy caught the girl and set her gently on the stool, but she didn't realize that Wendy her dropped her wine in the process, shattering the glass and spilling the drink all over the floor. Being said, Lucy slipped and started falling backward. She did nothing, her body heavy and sluggish with all that she had drunk, and simply waited for her head to make contact with the hard ground.

She never expected someone to catch her in their arms and keep her balanced.

"Sorry to startle you, but I can't have you hurting your pretty little head, can I?"

The voice was deep, smooth, and oh-so-soothing.

The man spun her around until she was facing him, still in his arms with her hands pressed against his chest.

The man's features swirled before her eyes in her drunken haze and Lucy said the first words that came to her mouth, words that she would later regret.

"You're hot."

* * *

 **Some of you will wonder why Wendy is OOC. Here is my reasoning: Not only is Wendy grown up, but she's been in Fairy Tail for quite a while now. I wouldn't be surprised if some of that influence seeped out now that she's matured.**

 **Also, it's fun to see a different side of characters. Livens things up a bit, you know?**


	3. Whack

**Here it is! Chapter three! Hoooooraaaaaay!**

* * *

It was like a bullet to the head.

"Ugh... feel... bad..." Lucy groaned quietly as she toppled out of bed, stumbling over her own two feet. She slowly made her way toward the bathroom, swaying back and forth and back and forth. By the time she got to her bathroom, Lucy felt the nausea build up inside her and slowly rise.

'Don't throw up, don't throw up!' she mentally chanted.

In the end, Lucy Heartfilia did not throw up. I repeat, she did NOT throw up.

Though satisfied with her mini victory, Lucy groaned again as she scrambled through her medicine cabinet and searched for the bottle of Advil she had stashed away.

What exactly had happened the night before? For some reason, yesterday was a complete blur to Lucy. As far as she could remember, Wendy had brought her to the popular Fairy Tail, where she had met the beauty that was Mirajane Strauss and had indulged in the other beauty that was rich merlot. Lucy was sure she had drunk a lot more than she should've, and that's where her memory ended.

For some reason or another, she remembered a chilly, yet comforting, presence. Maybe she had talked to someone and their hands were cold... Yes, that was probably it.

Lucy quietly tiptoed toward Wendy's room, hoping the younger girl was safe and sound in bed. She peeked through the crack of the door and was relieved to find that, indeed, Wendy was lightly snoring away in a deep sleep. Lucy had no doubt that Wendy would feel as terrible as she did.

Lucy yawned and made her way toward the kitchen. Maybe if she had something to eat she'd feel a little better.

To get to the kitchen, one had to pass by the living room which consisted of a small coffee table, an even smaller television set, and a comfy yet worn-out couch.

It was then that Lucy noticed something was different about said living room.

Namely the half-naked man who was sleeping on their comfy yet worn-out couch.

Lucy knew what to do.

She went to the cleaning closet, where all her disinfecting supplies and the such were kept. She grabbed the broom and swiftly held it up above her head. What happened next wouldn't surprise anyone.

Lucy beat the shit out of the stranger.

"AHHHH! WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU DOING, WOMAN?!"

Lucy didn't dare listen to the man. "What does it look like I'm doing, you pervert?! I'm beating the shit out of you!" She gave him nine more hard whacks of the broom.

"Stop—OW!—it."

Whack whack. "Oi, listen—OOF!—to me!"

Whack whack. "You're misunder—GAH!—standing!"

WHACK WHACK WHACK. "I'M FROM—OWWWW!—FAIRY TAIL!"

Lucy instantly paused. Fairy Tail?

She glared at The Stripper (as she had decided to call him) and kept the broom aimed at him. "Explain."

The Stripper kept a wary eye on the weapon pointed right at his head. "Look, when you bumped into me at the bar last night you were drunk out of your mind. Same goes for your friend. I had just gotten your address out of her before she started giggling like a child. She never answered a single question after that. I got a friend to help me get you two into your apartment. I ended up staying over as I was a little drunk myself."

Lucy narrowed her eyes. "How'd you know which room was mine and which was hers?"

He smirked. "We went through your closet."

"Excuse me?"

"We simply compared bra sizes," said The Stripper, quite smugly I should add.

Lucy turned a beautiful shade of dark cherry red before giving The Stripper what he deserved.

WHACK.

The man's eyes started tearing up in pain. "Okay, I'm sorry! White flag! White flag!"

"Do you repent?" she asked, her hollow voice full of warning.

The Stripper gulped. "Yes, ma'am."

Lucy nodded her head. "Good." She then sighed and motioned for the man to sit down. The Stripper frowned but did as he was told (gestured?) to.

Lucy propped the broom against the wall before turning back to The Stripper. She took a deep breath. "Thank you."

He blinked. "Uhh... what?"

Lucy gave him a tired smile. "For bringing us home. You didn't have to, but you did so anyway. Wendy and I are in your debt." She bowed her head ever so slightly.

The Stripper grinned. "Don't mention it. We couldn't leave two young ladies such as yourselves to the mercy of the wilderness that is Fairy Tail. Especially you, who's never been to the bar before."

Lucy tilted her head. "How'd you know I was new to Fairy Tail?"

The Stripper laughed. "Oh, come on. I've been going to Fairy Tail since I was a teenager. I know every single person there by heart and I know for a fact that it was your first time there."

"How so?"

"Your friend told me in her drunken ramblings," said The Stripper. "She talks quite a lot when inebriated."

Lucy hung her head. "Ahh, that she does." She glanced at the man and raised a brow. "You... do have a shirt? Right?"

He looked down at his bare torso and yelped. "When did that happen?!" He immediately got up and started searching the premises for the hidden shirt.

Lucy took the time to study the man carefully. He was no doubt one of the most attractive men she had seen in a while. In fact, he might have been _the_ most attractive man she had seen. And met.

His hair was dark, sort of sticky-uppy, and his eyes were the deepest blue. She didn't even know a color like that existed. She blushed slightly as her eyes roved over his muscular chest and his abs. The man was fit, there was no need to say it. He had the Fairy Tail mark on his right pectoral in a dark blue that almost matched his eye color and on his bicep was a small tattoo of a...

Was that an ice cream cone?

Lucy couldn't suppress a giggle. The Stripper turned to her and raised his brows. "Something funny?"

She grinned and pointed at his arm, giggling again.

The man didn't even have to look where she was pointing to know what was wrong. He sighed. "Yes, that really is an ice cream cone. The result of a drunken dare gone wrong. Note: never challenge Fairy Tail's resident alcoholic to a drinking game."

Lucy couldn't help it. She doubled over and laughed out loud to her heart's content. It was the most childish yet most unique tattoo she had ever known to exist. And she thought her own tattoo was corny.

"You have a beautiful laugh."

Lucy's laughs subsided as she looked at The Stripper, unsure of what he had just said. "Huh?"

He smirked. "You heard me. You have a beautiful laugh. And a gorgeous smile, for that matter."

This time, Lucy turned ripe tomato red. "Wh-what are you saying?! Pervert!"

"And how exactly is that perverted?" he asked in amusement. "T'was simply a compliment, my lady."

Lucy turned her head away from him in a huff. "Just find your shirt already, Stripper."

He face-palmed. "Why does everyone call me that? Why? You're just like the flame-brain."

Flame-brain? "Who's that?" Lucy wondered aloud.

He sighed. "Never you mind. Look, I'm not a stripper and I'm definitely not a pervert."

"Oh, yeah?" Lucy crossed her arms. "Then who exactly are you?"

"Gray Fullbuster, CEO of Ice-Make Corporation."

There was a moment of silence before Lucy scoffed. "I don't bel—" She was interrupted by a small voice.

"Lucy-san, why is there a stripper in our living room?"

"OH, FOR GOD'S SAKE! WHY DOES EVERYONE CALL ME THAT?!"

"Because you are?" Wendy blinked blearily, still a bit sleepy. "Are you joining us for breakfast, Stripper-san?"

Lucy gaped at her little sister, unable to believe the question she had just heard.

Gray (if that was his real name) rolled his eyes. "Thank you for the offer, but I'm already late to work as it is." He turned to Lucy, grabbed her hand, and kissed the back of it. He grinned, watching her face go pink. "It was a pleasure meeting you, Lucy Heartfilia."

And with that, he sauntered out of their apartment. He never did find his shirt.

Lucy stared after him and idly wondered if she would ever see Gray again.

"He was cute, ne Lucy-san?"

Lucy turned to face Wendy, only to find her smiling knowingly.

Lucy scowled. "Oh, hush."

* * *

"Um... Lucy-san?"

Lucy looked over her shoulder after she flipped her third pancake. "What is it, Wendy?"

"You might want to look at this."

Lucy frowned. There was something off about Wendy's voice. Something akin to excitement and disbelief. "Let me finish making breakfast first, okay?"

Wendy nodded, a smile gracing her lips. "Sure, sure. It can wait. I think."

And with that, breakfast was served.

Lucy stared at the blue-haired girl as she scarfed down her blueberry pancakes at a speed Lucy had never seen before.

"Wendy..." she said carefully. "You might want to... slow down. Just a bit."

"I lied."

Lucy blinked. "Excuse me?"

There was a gleam in Wendy's eyes. "You absolutely have to see what I found. Immediately. It's important."

Lucy glanced at her plate, eyed the last bite of pancake she had left, stuffed it in her mouth, and stood up. "Oke. Lesh shee it."

Wendy ran off, only to come back with something small and brown in her hand. Was that leather?

"The guy, Gray, left his wallet here. Look, look! Look at the driver's license!" prompted Wendy.

Lucy raised a brow at the younger girl, but did as she was told.

 _Gray Silver Fullbuster_

"Huh. What do you know," said Lucy, smiling slightly. "He was telling the truth. Well, partially."

"That's where you're wroooooong~" sang Wendy.

"What do you mean?"

Wendy clasped her hands together in anticipation. "There's a business card behind it. Pull it out."

Lucy did, only to turn pale as she read its contents.

 _Gray S. Fullbuster_

 _CEO,_ _Ice-Make Corporation_

 _1234 Surge Road_

 _Magnolia, Fiore_

Lucy dropped the card and the wallet. "Oh, dear God."

* * *

Lucy gawked as she looked up at the high-rise that towered over her.

The building was a sight to behold, to say the least. Glass windows sparkling in the sunlight, almost fifty stories tall, and a glinting pristine spire at the very top.

People were rushing in and out of the building. Those who were simply passing by all gazed up at the tower in admiration. Why wouldn't they? Ice-Make Corporation was the pride and joy of Magnolia, Fiore. Their reputation had reached every city in the country, as well as a few foreign ones. Their work was well-known to all, from their delicious ice cream and gelato all the way to their nature reserves in the snowy regions of Fiore.

Even Lucy couldn't help but be awed by the successful company.

She gulped as her eyes found the double doors that led into the building.

'Okay, Lucy. You can do this. You can do this. You are a calm, confident author with a goal in mind. Nothing is going to stop you from completing it.'

Except the receptionist.

Lucy felt her stomach drop at the elder woman's words. " _There is a_ _six month queue to see the CEO?"_

The receptionist nodded sternly. "Correct, madam. And even then, you are not qualified to meet with our esteemed leader. He's an important man who has no time to entertain those without official business."

Lucy narrowed her eyes. "Excuse me? What makes you think I don't have 'official business' with your 'esteemed leader,' huh? Answer me, lady."

The woman looked appalled. "How dare you! I demand that you leave at on—" She was interrupted by the ring of the phone. She humphed. "Excuse me for a minute."

One minute later, Lucy watched the receptionist's face turn a ghastly white as she hung up the phone. She never met Lucy's eyes.

"Mr. Fullbuster will see you now, Miss Heartfilia."

Score.

* * *

 **Thank you for reading!**


	4. Pancakes

Lucy's eyes widened as she gazed down the glass elevator, watching as she climbed higher, higher, and even higher. She deemed herself as calm, collected even.

By the 10th floor, she was worried. What if he was too busy? Would she be disturbing him?

By the 21st floor, she was scared. What if he refused to see her at all? Would her pride survive the humiliation?

By the 34th floor, she was freaking out. This wasn't a good idea, was it? She should turn back before it was too late, shouldn't she?

 _Ding._

40th floor.

She had arrived.

Oh, dearie dear. Lucy regretted being so aggressive with the receptionist downstairs. Maybe then she wouldn't have to face him again. After all, who would willingly want to meet the most powerful man in Magnolia?

Apparently, she would.

And so, "Lucky" Lucy Heartfilia walked out of the elevator, her head held high, her heart screaming 'NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO.'

* * *

She was met with a short, silver-white haired woman with dashing light blue eyes and a smile adorning her lips. She was lovely, much to Lucy's mild envy, and was beautiful in a way Lucy could never hope to mimic.

"Hello!" She said cheerfully. "My name's Lisanna Strauss. It's a pleasure to finally meet you, Miss Heartfilia."

Lucy blinked. "Uh… how do you know my name?"

The woman—Lisanna—grinned knowingly. "Oh, trust me. We all know."

Lucy was confused as heck, but she wasn't about to let the woman know. A thought suddenly came to her. "You… don't happen to be Mirajane Strauss's sister, do you?"

Lisanna beamed at the question. "Actually, I am. Why do you ask?"

"I came to meet her recently," Lucy shrugged. "You both look alike, not to mention you guys have the same last name."

Lisanna tilted her head. "We… look alike?"

"Yes. Why wouldn't you? You're siblings."

"True," Lisanna said with a growing smile. "But I've hardly ever been compared to my older sis. After all, she's the model. Not me."

Lucy rolled her eyes. "That's insane. You two are both equally gorgeous in your own unique way."

The woman was silent before "YOU ARE SO KIND! I TOTALLY SEE WHY HE HAS HIS EYE ON YOU NOW!"

"…Eh?"

Lisanna looped her arm around Lucy's and proceeded to drag her away from the elevators, marching off toward the inside of the building with yet another grin. "Let's not keep him waiting, shall we?"

"…Eh?"

* * *

Lisanna left her in front of door of beautiful mahogany with a shiny brass doorknob, the only one of its kind in the entire unit. The name plate to the side listed the name that was beginning to irk her.

 _Fullbuster, CEO_

Dear God. She really should've left the items with the cranky receptionist or maybe even the bubbly Lisanna.

With a deep breath, Lucy lifted a hand and knocked gently on the door, hoping he wouldn't hear.

He did.

"Come in."

Lucy bit her lip, turned the knob as quietly as she could, and entered the room. What she saw made her eyed widen with appreciation.

The office was beautiful. It took on a fairly modern look, with its clean, polished wooden desk which curved around in a L-shape, the high-tech computer on top, the long couch on the side of the room, the comfy chairs that sat in front of the desk, and the large ceiling-to-floor window which looked down toward the heart of downtown Magnolia.

The walls were decorated with pictures galore, most of them with the CEO and his affiliates and a couple of of them with what seemed to be his family and friends. The picture that really caught her eye, however, was the one on his desk, depicting a beautiful woman with short, dark hair and a bright twinkle in her eyes. His mother or someone more important?

"Ahem."

Lucy jumped and faced the man she had come to see. If there was one way to describe the 'esteemed leader,' it would be this: an out-of-work yet looking-for-a-job white-collar worker. Because this man looked nothing like the image of a CEO of a major company.

He was wearing a suit. Kind of.

The jacket was flung haphazardly onto the couch and the tie was sitting over the top of his leather chair. His hair was some sort of mess, sticking up in twenty different directions and his eyes were droopy from lack of sleep (or perhaps a late night considering he was sleeping like a log when Lucy found him that morning). He was clad in only socks, one shoe against the door and the other on the couch. His shirt was wrinkled beyond belief, but Lucy would have been okay with that if it weren't for the worst part.

Not a single button was done. The only thing that stuck out to Lucy was the strip of bare skin that showed between the two halves of the shirt. Skin she was already well-acquainted with.

Hm. Maybe it wasn't as bad as she made it out to be. After all, he did look good. More than good.

"AHEM."

Lucy jumped again and properly looked at the CEO. His smile was amused. "See something you like?"

Lucy immediately scowled. "No. Not in the least."

Gray simply laughed and leaned against his desk. "So. How can I help you, Lucy?"

Lucy tried to ignore the shiver that went through her spine when he said her name. It seemed to roll of his tongue almost effortlessly. "I've come bearing gifts," she said.

Gray's brows lifted. "Gifts?"

Lucy held up the bag in her hands. "Yes. Gifts."

She wordlessly handed him the bag and he wordlessly accepted, nodding his thanks. He peered inside and smirked. "Guess you found my shirt, huh?"

Lucy sighed. "Yes, I did. Wendy also found your wallet."

"Ah. I was wondering where it went."

Lucy gaped at him. If it had been her, she would've been freaking out. Her wallet practically held her whole life within it, what with credit cards and her driver's license and such.

Gray must have noticed her look because he chuckled. "Don't worry. There were only two places I knew I could have left it. Your apartment and Fairy Tail. I knew you weren't the type to keep something that didn't belong to you, and I'm sure Fairy Tail would have held onto it for me. I hope." He shook his head before sighing. "But where are my manners? Please sit."

Lucy did as he asked. Gray remained where he was and frowned into the bag. "There's something in here that doesn't belong to me though."

Lucy cracked a smile. "That would be Wendy. She included a little something for you in thanks for saving us."

Gray raised a brow. "Save? All Romeo and I did was help you two back home."

"It was more than enough to win Wendy's heart though. Besides, we didn't get you anything impressive," said Lucy, her eyes wandering around the room. "I'm sure you're used to more extravagant prese—WHAT ARE YOU DOING?"

Gray looked up innocently from where he was pouring a fair amount of syrup onto his pancakes. "Um... indulging in my beautiful present? Tell Wendy thanks, by the way. Did she make these?"

Lucy gaped again. No, Lucy had not known what Wendy had put in the box for Gray, and no, she did not think that it would include pancakes and syrup. Especially the same pancakes and syrup they had had for breakfast that morning.

Wendy's words came back to her.

 _'I wonder if Gray-san had breakfast...'_

Wendy, why?

Lucy was startled by this new... development, but hell if she was going to let him know. "Anywho, that was all I came up for."

Gray blinked, half a pancake still stuffed in his mouth. "Ya mean you don' wan' 'nything elsh?"

Lucy shook her head.

He gulped down what was left in his mouth and gave her a stern look. "I can't just let you go after you've done me such a favor, Lucy."

Lucy frowned. "What do you mean?"

Gray grinned, set the box of pancakes aside, and walked up to her, grabbing her hands with his own. Lucy said nothing about it, simply gazing spell-bound into his eyes.

"I'm taking you out to dinner."

It was a statement, a declaration, if you will. In no way was it request or a question. It was then followed by a kiss to the cheek.

Lucy's face flushed and she mechanically nodded her head, not truly aware of what she was agreeing to.

* * *

Lucy frowned as she stared at her appearance in the mirror. She walked toward Wendy's room and peeked her head through the door. "You haven't happened to see where my pearl earrings went?"

 _Flash._

Lucy blinked, bewildered by the sudden photo Wendy had taken of her. Wendy gripped the camera in her hands, her eyes tearing up in happiness. "I'm so happy for you, Lucy-san."

"Um... what for?"

Wendy jumped up and down excitedly. "For finally catching a date! Not to mention one with _the_ Gray Fullbuster. You haven't been out with a man in forever!"

Lucy sighed. "Then what was the picture for?"

Wendy held the camera high above her head in triumph. "Tis a photo to commemorate this moment, to capture the memory of Lucy's first real date with a real gentleman."

Lucy snorted. "Yeah. Real gentleman, my ass."

Wendy shook her head. "Come now. You might not have met him in the most normal of circumstances, but at least he had the courtesy to invite you to dinner in appreciation for your kindness to him."

"You mean your kindness. You were the one who sneaked pancakes into the bag."

"Sure, sure," Wendy said knowingly. "But I wasn't the one who volunteered to _personally_ deliver his present to him, was I?"

Lucy's eye twitched. "I'll ask again: where are my pearl earrings?"

Wendy grinned. "My dresser. Hold up a second while I fetch them."

And that was when the doorbell rang.

Oh, boy.


End file.
